Mold for making figurines



Aug. 26, 1952 WARD 2,607,978

MOLD FOR MAKING FIGURINES Filed March 5, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l .FZ 025N0 5 11!. ilreo,

ENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 26, 1952 F. M. WARD 2,607,978

MOLD FOR MAKING FIGURINES Filed March 5, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FZOQENCE 11!. M20,

VENT OR.

I I 7 J ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OF-F-ICEQ-f .MoLD FORLMAKING FIGURINES {The present invention relates to an: apparatus for-making ceramicfiguri-nes;

In the manufacture of small decorative works of? art of the typeicommonlyknown as figurines care and skill must -be exercised to; insure a product which is not only artistic but'also 'free'from flaws and defects; The making-of such objects by hand eliminateswmany problems but results inhigh production cost. As there-is a tremendous demandwhen reasonably. priced they must be produced by mass production ,methods and the present inventionrelates-to--amethod and to apparatus usable therein which enables the products 'to be 'somanufactured.

It is another objectofthe invention to provide an improved mold for making ceramic figurines commercially.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the .following specification and claim and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aview in perspective of .thexmold in which the figurine body is cast;.. I

Ffgure 2 isia vertical section upon the line 2E2 i eur 1 I f Figure 3 shows' the "mold on. it'siiside ,with. the upper section removed;

Figure 4 is ran'exploded view illustrating the figurine which has been made in the mold of Figures 1, 2 and 3 with-theremovable drain core separated therefrom;

Figure 5 is an exploded view illustrating the various additional elements which are attached to the main body portion;

Figure 6 shows the product in its completely assembled relationship with the various parts in place but prior to the step of applying the overglaze decorations; and

Figure 7 is a front view of the finished product.

In the drawings the mold used in practicing the invention is indicated generally by the refence character l0 and is seen to comprise halfsections l l and I2 which are separable along abutting contoured central faces. The mold is made of water-absorbent material, plaster of Paris for example, which draws the moisture from the adjacent wet material being molded. This type of material is in common use in molding operations. The two half-sections H and I2 are hollowed out and cooperate to form a body cavity l3 and a connected skirt cavity M. A removable drain core I6 is positioned within the latter and has a central inwardly extending FI renceMQWaI-d, Pasadena, Calif. U AQpIi'cationM-archS, 1949, 'Serial,Nn.f79;881

1 Claim. (o1.125 -129 passage I! through which clay in a fluid state can 'be poured. Near it's'outer enlarged end the core is formed with a flared portion I8 which fits within a mating surface 15 in the sections- H' and II to prevent'theoutward displacement of the mold. Relative shifting between the mold sections ll and I2 is effectivelyprevented-not only by the presence of the drain core- 1 8 ,and

by the irregularities of the contacting races "but also by the presence of recesses 21 on se'ctior'r I2 which interfit with raised portions '22- on section- II. I

'The'ob'ject cast "in -mold' i0 is removable, upon the separation of mold sections "H and'l2, with the drain core l'6 which-extends within its-flaring skirt portion. 'The core is then displaced'Ohtwardly from the figure in the manner illustrated in Figure 4. In'the performance of the molding operation providing the product thus far described is first assembledand positioned asillustrated'in-Figure 1 with thedrain icore IE in :place' and' sections II and i2 in -contac't. Fluid clay is then poured downwardly throughopening I! After an initial drying period of about-twelve minutes the mold is inverted end for' end 'andall unsolidified material above the core-J 6 "drains downwardly and outwardly through passage il leaving a wa'll'c'on'forming to the moldcavity the thickness of which is about equalto the thick ness of the skirt cavity as illustrated in Figure 2. Moisture has been absorbed from that wall by the mold which has a moisture-absorbing characteristic as previously mentioned.

Following drainage the mold is permitted to stand in a dry atmosphere for about one hour during which time additional moisture is removed from the clay formed which then tends to shrink away from the mold cavity. At the end of the drying period the mold is placed upon its side and the upper section I2 is lifted olT as illustrated in Figure 3. The lifting operation may be accomplished by inserting small rigid instruments between the abutting contacting faces but this is usually not necessary.

With the sections II and I2 separated, as illustrated in Figure 3, the molded form can be lifted from the supporting section by lifting the drain core I 5. An easy method comprises inserting one or two fingers into the passage l1 and lifting gently upwardly. The figure comes from the supporting cavity section, together with the drain core, and the two can then be separated as 11- V lustrated in Figure 4. The separation is aided by directing compressed air between the lower edge of the skirt and the flared core portion I8. The casting operation is then complete and the product is ready for subsequent steps in the process of making the complete figurine. First, however, the product is sponged and smoothed to eliminate irregularities.

Referring now to Figure 5, various so-called applied decorations to be attached are illustrated in their detached relationship and ready for at-' tachment. viously described is indicated generally by the reference character 26 and comprises the torso,

The main portion formed as pre-- end to its open end, in the order stated. the contours of the head, body, arms and voluminous "skirt of a figurine, said sections being formed arms, head, hat, and the voluminous fiaring skirt. Y

The various additional parts or applied decor'ations which must be attached include the legs or pantaloon section 21 which forms the pedestal ofthe unit and which extends upwardly under the flaring skirt as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. The hands 28 are classified-as applied decorations as is the ornamentation?!) which overlies a raised portion 3| upon the skirt and cooperates therewithto form apocketbook or bag carried by the adjacent hand. A small neck piece 32 is positioned at the neck of the figurine 'and curls 33am attached forwardly of the hat brim at the center of which is attached a feather-like ornamentation 34.

With the various applied decorations attached as described and as illustrated in Figure -6-the assembled figure is then firedin an oven-in accordance with conventional practice following which it is dipped in a liquid glaze solution which deposits an even coat of' glaze. The product is then again fired, baking the glaze into a hard glass-like surface. I e

Following the second firing, which is called the gloss firing, the overglaze decorations are applied. Those decorations comprise the-gold and china paint which are provided on the eyes, the mouth, the cheek, and also the precious metal decorations upon the body and skirt. The decorative fire which follows the last is of about five hours duration. The various firings may vary in length but usually approximate sevenor eight hours. While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detailis fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it-is' merely illustrative of the presently preferred below said enlarged open end with core-support-.

ing surfaces, and a drain core seated in said cavity, resting upon the core-suporting surfaces of said sections, and sealing the enlarged top open end of said cavity and spaced from the surrounding walls of said cavity below said end to define said skirt, said core being provided with a bore extending downwardly therethrough from its top to its bottom and openingjint'o the portion 'of said cavity'defining said body and at the junction of said body and saidskirt, said bore serving as-a filling and drainage port uponsaid mold being inverted and being sufiiciently large to serve as a socket to receivea lifting force whereby a surounding molded skirt and connected body can be lifted from a supporting mold sectionlying on its side and with the cooperating-mold sectionfirst removed.

FLORENCE M. was." REFERENCES CITED l The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

NITED STATES PATENTS Date ' Great Britain j l 9 1'5 

